Sprinkler



Dec. 24, 1940. R w QTRAWN 2,226,028

SPRINKLER Filed Jan. 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z6 3 H I? 4.

Z6 Z5 Z i INVENTOR.

WW1 Ma De. 24, 1940. R N 2,226,028

SPRINKLER Filed Jan. 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIII/I IN V EN TOR Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNl-TED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

SPRINKLER Calif.

Application-January 31, 1938, SerialNo. 187,851

8 Claims.

This invention relates to lawn sprinklers of the type particularlyadapted for sprinkling large areas, such, for example, as lawns of wideexpanse, golf courses, gardens and more particularly orchards andfields.

An object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler of the typecarrying a wheel adapted to be rotated by the discharge ofwater-thereagainst and to itself break up and spray the water, and moreparticularly to provide means whereby the reversing action of thenozzleand associated parts may be accomplished in a substantiallyautomatic manner so that an oscillatory action for the nozzle andassociatedparts may be obtained;

The present invention together with its objects and advantages will bebest understood from a study of the following description taken inconnection' with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved sprinkler.

Figure 2 is atop plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line3-3'0f Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a-sectional ViEW'shOWiIlg the'mounting'for the rotary diskorwheel.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional viewillustrating certain detailshereinafter more fully referred to and with the gland nutremoved;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view at the top end of thenozzle.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be seen thatthis sprinkler comprises a tubular member H formed at oneend as at I2for threaded reception of a gland. nut or base casting |2a which latteralso serves to couple the member with a suitable supply pipe.

Passing lengthwise through the tubular member H is a tube l3 one end ofwhich extends into the end I?! of the tubular member H and is equippedwith packing rings l4, retained by the nut |2a in a manner to provide ineffect a packing gland for the exclusion of dust and dirt from thewearing part of the device.

The upper end of the tube |3 is externally threaded and screwed ontothis end of the tube 3 as at I5 is one end of a nozzle IS.

The nozzle H5 at its free end is laterally enlarged as indicatedgenerally at I! and at said end has threaded into the main bore l8thereof a suitable tip It). In the enlarged end ll of the nozzle Hithere is also provided a by-passof relatively small diameter into the.outer end of which is threaded a smaller tip. 2| for a purposehereinafter made manifest. Rearwardly of the passagelll. the nozzleinternally is suitably providedwith a trash and dirt deflector lBa.

Adjacentthe head thereof thenozzle IS on its underside is provided withan apertured boss 22which receives one end of a shaft 23. The shaft 23is held against axial movement through the opening in the bossl22throughlthe medium of a collar 24 fixed. to, the shaft 23- at one sideof the. boss and a nut 25 threaded on the end of theshaft at the side ofthe boss opposite to the collar 24 all of which is clearly shown inFigure l.

'Rotatably supported on the shaft 23'- laterally ofthenozzle IB'isaspray wheel or disk 26. The hub. of the wheel 26 is confined on theshaft between the collar 24 and a bushing assembly shown in Figure 4which includes-a bushing cap 21 having an end fitting in a socketprovided therefor in theladjacentxend: of the hub of the wheel 26, anda=second end provided with a tapered socket to receive the tapered endof a bushing member 28;eand against the free end of which bushing member28 is threaded home a retaining nut 29 on the shaft 23. The hub of thewheel 26 may be also provided with an oil hole 3% for lubricatingpurposes as shown in Figure 4.

On the side thereof facing the nozzle |6- the wheel 26' is provided witha circular series of shortevanesaor fins 3| that extendsubstantiallyradial to the axis of the wheel, Also, integral with the wheel 26 at asuitable point in its periphery; is: provided aspoon 26a that, as shownis offset at an angle to-the plane of the wheel and is provided on oneface thereof with vanes 3|a constituting continuations of certain of thevanes 3| as best shown in Figure-1. In connection with the above'it willalso be noted that the lay-pass tip--2|-- is at the side of the headnearest to the wheel 26. Thus it will be seen that water issuing fromthenozzle 2| and striking againstthe Vane equipped side of wheel 26causes Wheel 26 to rotate and the water from nozzle l9 striking weightor spoon 26a will impart a brief but powerfulside' drive to the,sprinkler causing nozzle l6 and wheel'26to swing as a unit in a lateralclockwise direction.

For changinglthelateral direction of rotation of the nozzle I6 and wheel26 as a unit so that the same will be caused to oscillate instead ofrotating. in a continuous circle, there is carried on tubular memberFigures 5 and 3, adjustable cam clamping rings 33 and 35, the same beingadjustable relative to each other andlsecuredlin adjusted positionthrough the medium of these finger.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5 the cam 36 is d1sposed at a lower plane thanthe cam 33 so that a tripping finger 31 hereinafter more fully referredto, is adapted to ride on the out-side-edge of the cam 33 and on theinside edge of cam finger 36.

The tripping finger 31 together with arm 32 is formed integral with ahub, 39 fixed on one end of a stub shaft, 46 equipped on its free endwith a nut 4| and journaled in a bearing boss 42 provided on the nozzle5 in a manner as best shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A spoon or deflector 43 is adapted to move into and out of operativeposition relative to the tip l9 of the nozzle and is formed integralwith a shank 44 that intermediate its ends is formed with a lateralshaft 45 journaled in a bearing boss 46 provided on the top side of thehead I! of nozzle I6 as shown in Figure 2. At its free end the shaft 45is provided with a nut 46 as shown, to retain the shaft against axialmovement through the bearing boss 46. Also, the shank 44 adjacent thespoon 43 is provided with an angular projection 41 to which is connectedone end of a spring 49 that is also connected to the free end of the arm48 as shown in Figure 2. It will thus been seen that a swinging movementof the arm 32 will be transmitted to the spoon 43 and the spring 49,when the spoon is passed dead center, will serve to yieldably retain thespoon in the position to which it has been moved.

Rotative movement of the lever 44 and spoon 43 in one direction islimited by a stop lug 56 formed on one side of the nozzle I6 whilerotative movement of the lever or shank 44 in a reverse direction islimited by reason of a down turned end 44a provided on the lever 44 toengage a stop lug 5| provided on the nozzle l6 as best shown in Figure2.

From the above description it will be apparent that the sprinkleroperates in the following manner. Water issuing from the small jet 2| ofthe nozzle impinges on the vanes or fins 3| of wheel 26 causing thewheel 26 to revolve or spin about the shaft 23 as an axis, the saidWheel rotating in a counterclockwise direction (see Figure 1). When thespoon 26a moves into the line of the large jet of water issuing from thenozzle tip I9, the jet striking the vane equipped face of the spoon 26aas said spoon 26a passes through the jet of water, causes a brief butpowerful side drive to be imparted to the sprinkler, thus causing thenozzle l6 and wheel 26 to swing laterally as a unit in a clockwisedirection.

As the nozzle l6 and wheel 26 swing in the direction just mentioned, arm31 moves into engagement with the cam 36 so that about the time thenozzle l6 and wheel 26 has reached the limit of its movement in aclockwise direction, the arm 32 is tripped for swinging the spoon 43from the full line position shown in Figure 1 to the dotted lineposition shown in said figure thereby placing the spoon in the line ofthe jet of water issuing from the nozzle I9. Obviously, when the spoon43 is moved into the dotted line position shown, the jet of waterimpinging thereagainst will cause a powerful lateral side drive to thesprinkler resulting in a reversing movement of the nozzle [6 and wheel26 as a unit. Thus the nozzle l6 and wheel 26 will be caused to swinglaterally in a counterclockwise direction, a constant force beingexerted by the water issuing from the nozzle l9 against the spoon 43.

As the nozzle l6 and associated parts now swing in this lateralcounterclockwise direction, arm 3'! will move out of engagement with thecam 36 and into engagement with the cam 33. This will result in atipping of the arm 32 and a consequent swinging movement of the spoon 43back to the full line position shown in Figure 1, the spoon 43 being inthis manner snapped out of line of the jet of water. Thus the parts areagain in the position shown in Figure l to repeat the cycle of operationjust described.

In connection with the above it will be noted that wheel 26 continuouslyrotates in one direction during the entire operation of the sprinklerand that the wheel 26 and the nozzle I6 as a unit swing laterally firstin one direction and then in a reverse direction to insure a thoroughsprinkling of a large area of lawn, orchard, field or the like.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A sprinkler of the character described which includes: a spray headhaving spray means to discharge two jets of water mounted to revolve ona substantially vertical axis; a vaned spray wheel rotatably mounted onsaid head and disposed in a substantially vertical plane laterallythereof, so that one of said jets of water issuing from said head willstrike said vanes and cause rotation of said wheel; a spoon on saidwheel offset at an angle to the plane thereof adapted upon rotation ofsaid wheel to pass through the second of said jets of water issuing fromsaid head to cause said head to rotate in one direction about its saidvertical axis; a deflector spoon pivotally mounted on said head on theside thereof opposite to said wheel, said deflector spoon being adaptedto swing into and out of the path of said second jet of water issuingfrom said head to cause said head to rotate in the opposite directionwhen said deflector spoon is in said jet path; and cam means responsiveto rotation of said head for actuating said deflector spoon.

2. A sprinkler of the character described which includes: a spray head,having a pair of nozzles thereon, mounted to revolve on a substantiallyvertical axis; a vaned spray wheel rotatably mounted on said head anddisposed in a substantially vertical plane laterally thereof, so that ajet of Water from one of said nozzles will strike said vanes and causerotation of said wheel; and a spoon on said wheel offset at an angle tothe plane thereof adapted upon rotation of said wheel to pass through ajet of water issuing from the other of said nozzles to cause said headto rotate in one direction about its said vertical axis.

3. A sprinkler as defined in claim 2 which is provided with a deflectorspoon pivotally mounted on said spray head on an axis parallel to theplane of rotation of the head and transverse to the longitudinal axisthereof and on the side of the jet opposite to said spray wheel, saidspoon being adapted to swing into and out of the path of the jet issuingfrom said second nozzle to cause said head to rotate in the oppositedirection when said spoon is in said jet path.

4. A sprinkler as defined in claim 2 which is provided with a deflectorspoon pivotally mounted on said spray head on an axis parallel to theplane of rotation of the head and transverse to the longitudinal axisthereof and on the side of the jet opposite to said spray wheel, saidspoon being adapted to swing into and out of the path of the jet issuingfrom said second nozzle to cause said head to rotate in the oppositedirection when said spoon is in said jet path, and cam means responsiveto rotation of said head for actuating said deflector spoon.

5. A sprinkler of the character described which includes: a spray headhaving spray means to discharge water therefrom and mounted to revolveon a substantially vertical axis; a vaned spray wheel rotatably mountedon said head and disposed in a substantially vertical plane laterallythereof so that a portion of the water discharged from said head willstrike said vanes and cause rotation of said wheel; and a spoon on saidwheel offset at an angle to the plane thereof adapted upon rotation ofsaid wheel to pass through another portion of the water discharged fromsaid head to cause said head to rotate about its vertical axis.

6. A sprinkler of the character described which includes: anozzle-equipped spray head mounted to revolve on a substantiallyvertical axis; a vaned spray wheel rotatably mounted on said head anddisposed in a substantially vertical plane laterally thereof, so that ajet of Water issuing from said head will strike said vanes and causerotation of said wheel; and a deflector spoon pivotally mounted on saidspray head on an axis parallel to the plane of rotation of the head andtransverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, and on the side of the jetopposite to said spray wheel, said deflector spoon being adapted toswing into and out of the path of a jet of water issuing from said sprayhead to cause said head to rotate about its said vertical axis.

7. A sprinkler of the character described which includes: anozzle-equipped spray head mounted to revolve on a substantiallyvertical axis; a vaned spray wheel rotatably mounted on said head anddisposed in a substantially vertical plane laterally thereof, so that ajet of water issuing from said head will strike said vanes and causerotation of said wheel; a deflector spoon pivotally mounted on saidspray head on an axis parallel to the plane of rotation of the head andtransverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, and on the side of the jetopposite to said spray wheel, said deflector spoon being adapted toswing into and out of the path of a jet of Water issuing from said sprayhead to cause said head to rotate about its said vertical axis; andmeans responsive to rotation of said head for actuating said deflectorspoon.

8. A sprinkler of the character described which includes: anozzle-equipped spray head mounted to revolve on a substantiallyvertical axis; a vaned spray wheel rotatably mounted on said head anddisposed in a substantially vertical plane laterally thereof, so that ajet of water issuing from said head will strike said vanes and causerotation of said wheel; a deflector spoon pivotally mounted on saidspray head on an axis parallel to the plane of rotation of the head andtransverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, and on the side of the jetopposite to said spray wheel, said deflector spoon being adapted toswing into and out of the path of a jet of water issuing from said sprayhead to cause said head to rotate about its said vertical axis; andmeans for actuating said deflector spoon, said means including a tripfinger pivotally mounted on said spray head and connected with saidspoon, a cam engageable by said finger to cause said spoon to swing inone direction and a second cam engageable by said finger to cause saidspoon to swing in the opposite direction.

RAYMOND W. STRAWN.

